Storm Surge
by GovernorGeneral
Summary: What happens if significant military units out of Fort Lewis (just outside Seattle) survive the collapse by evacuating to the Pacific Coast?
1. Prologue

Storm Surge (Alternate Dies The Fire)

**Prologue**

_18:14 17 March 1998 (Change minus 1 Minute)_

Fort Lewis, Washington

Headquarters 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Mechanized), I Corps, US Army

Brigadier General Anthony Hopkins strode into the conference room and returned the salutes from his assembled staff. "Sitrep on exercise preparations? Jackson?"

Lieutenant Colonel Barry Jackson, Brigade Operations Officer, walked over to a display board. "All component units of the 2nd Brigade are ready and waiting, sir. The only problem, if I can call it that, is that the delivery of extra MREs from the bean counters at the Pentagon arrived yesterday, and we're trying to figure out where to put them all. Right now they are sitting in the Brigade supply dump on base, although we expect to share them out with the other units over the next few days. Tomorrow morning at 08:00 we move out for the Yakima Training Center to meet up with 3rd Brigade. Until then…"

There came a blinding flash of light, prompting gasps and screams from the men in the staff room. Brigadier General Hopkins regained his senses almost immediately, however. "Someone get the lights back on." This was soon realized to be futile, and the assembled staff poured out of the building. "Major Matthews, have we had any intel, however uncertain and from any source, regarding an imminent nuclear attack?"

"No sir. I just tried to radio the rest of my people but the device is… dead, sir. None of our equipment is working at all. I have a runner on the way to the hardened stuff in the staff basement, but… I've got a funny feeling about this."

Seeing his normally stone calm intelligence officer out of his depth gave General Hopkins pause. "I take it we've had no word from Division HQ, the Governor's Office, or anyone else in local government?"

Everything was dead. Communications, electronics of any sort, even an ancient 1969 Ford Mustang raised not a peep when its owner, a furious Combat Engineering Captain, tried to start it. As dusk fell, improvised lanterns and firelights soon lit the Brigade staff room. There was planning to do.

_11:23 18 March 1998 (Change plus 18 Hours)_

Governor's Mansion, Olympia, Washington

Governor Locke shook the State Patrol Chief's hand. "Thanks Ed, for all you and your men are doing. Your suggestion to lock down the grocery stores was a good one, but frankly the City Police don't have the manpower. I've declared a state of emergency, and for all intents and purposes the State Patrolmen we have in Olympia are now answering to the City Police Commissioner, who in turn is answering directly to me. No one knows where the Mayor is; I heard he went to some conference in Portland, but right now that is not important."

"What I think we need to do now is send a runner, on a bike, to Fort Lewis. If anyone knows what's going on, the Military will."

Locke was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in."

"Mr. Governor, a delegation from Fort Lewis just arrived, a whole bunch of troops; guns and everything." The State Patrol Chief snorted at this. The aide shrugged. "They have bayonets, so I guess that's some good at any rate."

Governor Locke sighed. It had been a long night, the day was proving to be even longer, and it wasn't even midday yet. "Show their representative in."

A tall man in Woodland Battle Dress Uniform came into the Governor's Office, went to attention, and then saluted. "Governor Locke, I am Major Taylor Watson, Commanding Officer of the 1st Infantry Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division based at Fort Lewis. As for the 1st Brigade, Korea is the last of our problems right now. Hopkins and the 2nd Brigade will be moving out at dawn on the 20th, two days from now. I am here with two infantry companies as a courtesy from the General; my orders are to assist you and your people in preparing those mobile elements of the Olympia population for evacuation to the Pacific Coast."

Locke narrowed his eyes, thinking quickly. "Your General seems to have… responded… to this remarkably quickly, Major. Hasn't he heard from I Corps HQ up at the Yakima Training Center? For that matter, why should I prepare to kick the entire population of Olympia out of their homes?"

Major Watson nodded to a sergeant, who proceeded to set up a map of Washington State on an easel. It was heavily marked in felt tip pen. "Governor, these are our best estimates on refugee lines of drift, with best case scenario dates of expansion. As you can see, Olympia is right on I5, which we expect to see heavy foot and bicycle traffic within days. Our Psy-Ops people are going to try to stall movement out of the Seattle Metro area in our direction for a while, but we don't think it will work for long."

The Governor of Washington gasped. "So you're… you're writing off Seattle already? They still have weeks of food if it's rationed carefully. Why aren't you deploying every unit you have to the city now in support of the Mayor? Your forces could keep order for that long, surely?"

Major Watson nodded. "Right, until the Navy shows up with disaster aid shipments from Canada and Mexico?" Seeing Locke's eyes light up with hope, Watson chuckled. "Governor, the Navy is gone. Comms are gone. The Air Force is gone. Apart from the 2nd Brigade and whatever National Guard and Joint scraps we can piece together, the whole US Army is also gone. The world as we know it is over. We're offering you and elements of the State Government a chance at long-term survival at Checkpoint Alpha, which is to say, Aberdeen. One of my two companies is ready to mount up and make like hell for the coast. Their captain has written orders from the General to get the local population ready to receive us; spread out to the farmland, secure food supplies, and so forth. We'd like to add your signature to that order, sir."

Governor Locke closed his eyes. "What about the State Legislature, our families…?"

"Majority and Minority legislative leadership, you and your Lieutenant Governor, your essential staff, and immediate families only, sir. Aberdeen is going to be swamped enough as it is."

"God save us." The Governor ran his hands through his hair in agitation.

"Welcome to Operation Storm Surge, sir."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Evening of 18 March 1998 (Change + 1 Day) 

Aberdeen, Washington

Captain Peter Anderson, 2nd Company (Mounted Recon), 1st Btn./ 2nd Bgd kicked his bike's stand down. Behind him a platoon of men dismounted before forming into a line, bayoneted M-16s at the ready. The added weight of flak jackets as make-shift armor was more than compensated for by the complete lack of ammunition in their gear. "I am Captain Anderson, United States Army, here on orders from I Corps Headquarters at Fort Lewis. Who is in charge here?"

A haggard looking middle-aged man stepped forward from the crowd of people on the steps of the town hall. "I'm Mayor Dickenson. Is the Army sending emergency generators our way? I know you guys have hardened trucks and jeeps that can take an EMP."

"Mr. Mayor, perhaps I'd better talk with you somewhere more private." Captain Anderson made clear by his tone that this was not a request.

Ten minutes later, Mayor Anderson's aides began cycling around the town with orders to the townsfolk. Under the State of Emergency declaration by the Governor, 'elements' of the United States Military 'working with' the State Government were empowered begin turning Aberdeen into a defensible position. Labor teams would be drafted from the population to begin scavenging food from the countryside the following day. 2nd Brigade was scheduled to arrive at the end of the day on the 24th of March, (Change + 7 Days).

*** 

Morning of 19 March 1998 (Change + 2 Days)

Fort Lewis boundary, Along I-5, Lakewood, WA

A heckler from the crowd booed at the security detail once more. "Come on man! You keep telling us one of your brigades already deployed 'in support of the Seattle City Government' and nothing else. We know you have emergency food and water! The water pumps aren't working. The cars aren't working. The fridges are busted and the food's rotting. Help us!"

The sergeant picked up the megaphone, its innards ripped out leaving a hollow cone, again. "Please disperse immediately. This is a secure military facility. Travel on west I-5 is prohibited. There are cases of cholera and dysentery west of Fort Lewis; the countryside is not safe. We have reports via secure military communications of biological and chemical weapons use along the Pacific Coast; Portland is now a plague zone. National Command Authority and NORAD have ordered us to prevent these plagues from penetrating into the Seattle metro area. All travel is prohibited."

The heckler booed a third time. "Screw you! Come on guys, charge!" The mob surged forward, and the sergeant leapt out of the way. A ballista, rapidly throw together from car parts by a team of mechanics and a materials engineer, sent a bolt flashing through the air, slamming into the mob's leader with a sickening sound. The sudden advance faltered.

"Please disperse immediately. This is a secure military facility…"

***

Afternoon of 19 March 1998 (Change + 2 Days)

Brigadier General Hopkins traced the route with his finger on the map. "We head due west on I-5 to Olympia, pick up the Governor and his party, and proceed west on Route 8 and then 12 to Aberdeen." 1st Battalion, supported by the 3/75th Rangers, will serve as the vanguard, spreading out to find laagering points each night with suitable water. 2nd and 4th Battalions will each have half the baggage train, the I Corp support unit volunteers, and the dependents. Reveille is 90 minutes before dawn tomorrow. All personnel will have breakfasted with the last of the perishables before we move out just before the sun comes up. Sitrep on all departments."

"PsyOps are proceeding per the plan, sir. The two dozen suicides we've had have been doctored up by the medics to look like plague victims; we've placed them along I-5 wearing biohazard suits along with warning signs."

"Logistics could be a hell of a lot better, sir. We have enough food to get all 20,000 people to Aberdeen well fed with enough leftover to last a further week if we stretch it…"

Hopkins interrupted. "Full rations for everyone for the first two march days. I want morale up until people get used to the march. Half rations starting on the third day until we get to Aberdeen, where we will reevaluate our food situation."

The Logistics Officer continued. "Yes, sir. We've hooked up scrounged carts and so forth to bikes. We have several dozen pickups with almost everything but the wheels and cargo beds ripped out rigged for hand tow with parachute cord, Air Force cargo ties, and so on."

"The Operations plan is firmed up since we last spoke, sir. By pushing it, we can be confident of 15 miles per day, allowing us to reach Aberdeen by the end of the 24th of March. We expect a lot of stalled cars on the highway, but we'll rotate troops in and out of clearing detail. It would be simpler to just walk around the road, but then would couldn't take as much stuff… food… with us."

"Armament is pretty much FUBAR. We've got a couple of those giant crossbows finagled together, but they won't really be much use in a pitched battle without more of them. Granted we don't expect to run across another organized force, but the point still stands. We are rigging up long pikes using materials at hand; we'll have enough for two companies by move-out tomorrow. The crossbow prototypes worked out, so we expect to be able to standardize on a pike and bolt type setup. That's what late medieval, early renaissance armies used, more or less, at least for the infantry grunts. Bayoneted rifles for everyone else until we get more new weapons produced."

"Intel on the Seattle Metro Area is not good. For starters…"

***

Nearly 6,000 US Army troops marched through Olympia around noon on the 20th (Change + 3 Days), bringing more than twice their number of family members and dependents. In his map case, Brigadier General Hopkins had written and signed orders from I Corps HQ assigning elements of Fort Lewis's support units to the 2nd Brigade 'until relieved or duly ordered otherwise'.

Hopkins came to attention outside the State Capitol and saluted the Stars and Stripes, barely keeping back tears. "2nd Brigade, move out!" State Governor Locke loosened his tie as he fell into step alongside the Army general. After a moment's hesitation, he pulled it off entirely and dropped onto the road. Thousands of men stomped it underfoot as they went by.

***

Morning of 21 March 1998 (Change + 4 Days)

Aberdeen, Washington

Captain Anderson read the glints of sunlight in the distance. "There's a Safeway truck full of nonperishable food 3 miles out of town. Mr. Mayor, I suggest we move to retrieve it."

Mayor Dickenson, looking as exhausted as ever. "Very well, Captain. Proceed as you see fit."

Anderson sighed. _What is it with these people? The instant the military shows up and offers help, they practically surrender their authority just as quick as they can! So much for civilian oversight. God help anyone near a Big Bad Guy looking to take power and tread on the helpless…_


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_22 March 1998 (Change + 5 Days)_

Aberdeen, Washington

General Hopkins and his staff had not chosen Aberdeen as the Objective without considerable thought. The small town hosted a newly built Walmart, a veritable warehouse of food and supplies. Captain Anderson and Mayor Dickenson soon turned the place into a central storage area for all requisitioned food. One of his lieutenants had led a party as far south as Raymond on Route 101 with orders to secure the much smaller town for the 2nd Brigade.

If all went as planned, 2nd Brigade's 1st, 2nd, and 4th Battalions would arrive in Aberdeen, now officially designated the Emergency Administrative Site of the State Government, before sending a battalion south to Raymond. If General Hopkins felt it prudent, one battalion would be left in Elma, east of Aberdeen, to control the flow of refugees out of the metro area.

As a line of volunteers continually wheeled supplies on push-bike carts from stranded eighteen-wheelers into Aberdeen, Captain Anderson couldn't help but wonder if the plan was ludicrously overoptimistic. The food they were pulling in would barely keep Aberdeen going for the next few months, let alone the entire 2nd Brigade and all the dependents. Wondering if he should speak to the Mayor about this or wait for orders from Brigade, Anderson returned the salute of a young corporal on a bike. "Stand easy, kid. Report?"

"Sir, message from 1st Battalion. HQ is being set up in Elma, and you are to ready your command to rejoin the Battalion there. The Major told me to inform you that the original plan to hole up in Aberdeen is being abandoned due to food requirements. 4th Battalion will continue its march south to Raymond, and only 2nd Battalion with Brigade HQ will set up in Aberdeen. We have to spread everyone out and begin getting seed into the ground."

Anderson stroked his fingers against the stubble on his chin; shaving was now no longer required, by Brigade order. "So are we pushing a reconnaissance in force back up Route 12 to Centralia? They have to have supplies there we could… requisition."

The messenger corporal grimaced. "Brigade already thought of that, but it's no good. They are right on the Interstate, and are likely to get swamped by refugees out of Olympia. By the time we could rig up sufficient transport to make such an effort worthwhile, we expect the place to have fallen or collapsed."

The Company CO sighed. "Hell. Aberdeen's about the same size as Centralia, why shouldn't it collapse? Oh wait, I know. Brigade will hold the place down, and if things go bad pull out to Elma and Raymond to ride out the die off. Of course if we do spread everyone out enough, the Aberdeen-Elma-Raymond region could pull through. Damnit, we have to pull through."

The corporal and his squad took a lunch break, wolfing down their MREs, and then departed back east with Anderson's acknowledgement and written situation report on Aberdeen.

***

_Same Time  
_  
South Tacoma, WA

Tony Diablo, Chapter President of the Red Snakes Motorcycle Club, waved his men forward. A team with bolt-cutters opened the gates of Fort Lewis, and a hundred men armed with baseball bats, knifes, and hunting crossbows surged inward. With the Fort's garrison deployed into Seattle to keep order… Tony laughed at that one… the gang figured the Fort itself would be lightly defended. Their initial surprise at its desertion turned to glee. The military rations were theirs! The glee soon turned to rage. Every scrap of food was gone. The armories were full of ammunition, but the bayonets were all gone.

"What are we going to do, boss?

Tony thought furiously. "The hand trucks ready? Pull everyone out of the grocery stores in Tacoma with every scrap of food we can carry by the end of the day. If we try to hold out against Seattle we're dead. We'll take Olympia, raid their stores, and then charge south on I-5 to Centralia and Longview. I figure each place should yield enough food for a week or so."

"Yeah. And after that? What about Portland? They have to be going down too."

"You got any better ideas?"

***

_23 March 1998 (Change + 6 Days)  
_  
Olympia, WA

The platoon of Army Rangers couldn't help but feel disheartened by the sight of billowing smoke and a red sky on the horizon. The Seattle Metro Area was going up in flames. With a final sweep with his binoculars from the top of a church steeple, the Lieutenant waved to the Platoon Sergeant. "Mount up in 5 minutes. It's time to go."

Major Taylor Watson, 1st Battalion CO, shook his head at the Ranger's report. "I realize the city is going down, Lieutenant, but my orders are to finish loading our hand carts with food from the Walmart here. The rest of Brigade should be getting close to Aberdeen by now, and we are gong to need this food. It's not like the enemy is going to swoop in on us in Humvees."

Neither man flinched at the casual classification of starving American citizens as refugees. It sucked, but what else could be done?

***

_24 March 1998 (Change + 1 Week)_

Olympia, WA

Tony Diablo waved his army forward. They swarmed over the city police and their pathetic defenses. Snacking on a bag of potato chips, Tony laughed at the sight of the idiot townsfolk. _A little prodding and we got most of the people to trudge back towards Seattle. Idiots. Now our way is clear to Centralia apart from Roadies._

***

_That evening_

Aberdeen, WA

Brigadier General Hopkins stood next to Governor Locke at a podium in front of City Hall, now appropriated for the State Government's use, as the latter gave a rousing speech to the assembled people. As the civilian executive droned on, Hopkins couldn't help but think that neither the military nor the civilian government on its own could hope to pull off what Storm Surge had planned. Clamp down on stores and fend off minor riots? Sure, either beefed up police or an army force could handle that. On the other hand, a 'legitimate' civilian government backed up by cold steel wielded by what was obviously the United States Army could be a potent combination. At least Hopkins hoped it would turn out that way.

As soon as the speech was over, Hopkins met up with his staff. "Have we had any word from I Corps?"

"Negative. Our furthest outpost is in Olympia, and if the smoke from Seattle is any indication, they probably pulled out a day or two before now. Same for 3rd Brigade up at Yakima. Nada. God alone knows what they are up to."

Hopkins shrugged. "Bob Andrews is a good officer. He'll pull things through out there if anyone can. We're unlikely to be able to get in contact, assuming 3rd Brigade still exists, for months. Anyone we sent out east in the fall is going to have to hold in place over winter anyway, and that is going to complicate things. Now, closer to home, is 4th Battalion ready to move out with their complement of dependents to Raymond tomorrow?"

"General, the civies are dead tired. Can we give them a day to rest up here first?" The Public Relations Officer was trying to do his job, but knew the answer before Hopkins gave it.

"Nope. 2nd Brigade needs to secure the region as quickly as we can. The less time chaos has to reign and the sooner we get order back in place the better. For everyone. Weapons?"

"General, the situation has improved remarkably. We've been consistently stripping leaf springs from cars along our march here, and we have enough pike heads for nearly a quarter of our combat troops. With the lumber shops here in Aberdeen on hand, we are starting to put out more pike poles, and Captain Anderson told me he set up a bunch of car mechanics to turning out crossbows before he left. We're ready to fold that into the Brigade Armory on your say so."

General Hopkins wanted to perk up, but dreaded the answer to his next question. "How many people do we have, all told?"

"The advance scouts back from Raymond report a population of 3,000 odd folks. They've had some inflow but also some outflow from fools looking for a better place, so about what we expected. Same for Elma; 3,000. Aberdeen is sitting at 15,000. Throw in road refugees making it in, and we've got 20,000 mouths before you count 2nd Brigade at all, which doubles us to 40,000. The question is, do we want to let in any refugees from Seattle Metro or any of the other towns?"

Hopkins shook his head. "We need to get the people spread out into the farmland first. Give the farmers all the manual labor they need, but no more than they can feed from what they expect from harvest. We'll turn Aberdeen, Elma, and Raymond into food depots, supplying the outlying farms that we garrison with our dependents and townies. If we end up needing more people, we can let them through the Elma roadblock and anyone who trickles up 101 from south of Raymond. The real question is, how much land are we going to need to feed, say, 50,000 people, and just as importantly, can we hold it down?" 


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_31 March 1998 (Change + 2 Weeks)_

Along the Columbia River, Longview, WA

Ian Hutchins, Coast Guard Reserve, waved to the other four sailing boats in his improvised flotilla. "Keep moving down the river! Longview's been taken by more gangsters!" _It isn't the Protectorate, that's for sure… They seem to be holding up in Portland with all the grain ships and whatnot on hand. Whoever they are, they are either going to die soon as well or the leader will end up as another of the Bastard's barons._

Will more than two dozen of his friends and their families; members of his sailing club, Petty Officer Hutchins planned to report to Coast Guard Air Station Astoria and see if they could pick anyone else up. The plan was to sail up the coast, foraging along the Olympic peninsula for food and supplies, waiting out for Vancouver Island to die out, whereupon they would move in with whoever was left.

***

Elma, WA

Major Watson couldn't believe their luck. Elma should be getting flooded by refugees, but it wasn't, apart from a light trickle. Rumors from the people they were getting claimed that some band of gangsters had sacked Olympia a week ago, sending most people back into Seattle Metro. Apparently that group planned to raid Centralia and Longview for supplies before setting themselves up as overlords on top of all the famers along the I-5 corridor. According to Intel from 4th Battalion down in Raymond, their recon missions along Route 6 pretty much confirmed this. Most farms south of 6 claimed they were paying protection food to the Red Snakes' racket. Presumably that extended some ways to the Columbia, although Watson couldn't understand why that whole area wasn't inundated by mobs from Portland. Had the city government somehow done something? It should have been impossible for them to do anything, but…

It wasn't his problem. Let Brigade worry about Portland. 1st Battalion was busy enough tying down the environs of Elma. They were getting lots of hunting out of Capitol State Forest, but the game would soon thin out.

***

_April 1998 (Change + 3 Weeks)_

Emergency State Administrative Center (City Hall, Aberdeen)

Governor Locke narrowed his eyes. "General, are you telling me that Seattle, Tacoma… all of it, even Olympia, are just gone? I am the executive branch of the State of Washington, and it is unacceptable that we didn't hold out for any longer."

Hopkins shook his head. "With respect, Mr. Governor, you should be grateful we've lasted this long. I suspect, if my Intel reports are halfway accurate, that we can thank that group of gangsters that made it out of Tacoma for our luck, believe it or not. They sacked Olympia, yes, but they also ate the rest of the area dry, and forced the urban refugees back the way they came. With Centralia and Longview looted and the, to be blunt, surplus population killed off or driven onto farmland, the I-5 corridor south of 507 is theirs."

"4th Battalion's CO reports he has pushed a reinforced bike company south to the Columbia gorge Astoria Coast Guard Air Station was burned down, but that is consistent with what we heard from that group of sailing boats that showed up here yesterday. Petty Officer Hutchins has been reactivated on my authority, and we'd like to make him and his people the nucleus of the Washington State Coast Guard. Administratively they'd be under the State Government, but for operational purposes they would answer to 2nd Brigade until we come up with something better. We also had a handful of sailing yachts appropriated by a group out of NAS Whidbey Island. The base commander initially wanted to try riding the collapse out, but then realized it was hopeless and organized the people he had to make their evac happen. Word is he went down under a mob as the boats pushed off at his order."

"There is another matter, sir. It's a minor one, but still important for admin reasons. 1st Battalion is currently being headed up by its former XO, as Lieutenant Colonel Marks is MIA; he was on vacation in Vancouver when the Change hit. I'm still technically the Acting CO of the 2nd Brigade; my boss was up at Yakima doing some liaison work for the exercises. I could brevet all the relevant people up their new de facto ranks, but I'd honestly prefer to have it done, well, officially, by the State Government."

Locke chuckled, causing Hopkins to look confused for a second. "Let me guess, General. You want your second star, is that is?" Hopkins began to protest, but the Governor silenced him. "To be fair, you started it with this Mr. Governor nonsense. We both know you are pretending for your own sanity that I am the president, and we both also know the President is almost certainly dead. If I am the quasi-president of the quasi-USA, then I say I can promote you. Congratulations, Major General Anthony Hopkins. Your pay is still the same; non-existent. I realize this horrendous disaster has played havoc with our pre-Change sensibilities of how military organization works, but we need to stay adaptable. You got the State Government out of the fire, but now it's time for the folks you rescued to help actually organize the territories under our control."

***

_April 1998 (Change + 1 Month)_

Longview, WA just north of the Columbia River

Grand Baron Eddie Liu, Vassal to Lord Protector Arminger of Portland, spat on the ground in disgust. _This place is a dump. Snake Boy better get his act together if he wants to keep the Protector's support._ He walked up to a mansion on the edge of town; the part of town down not burnt to a crisp; and stared death at one of Baron Diablo's guards until the man stepped aside.

"Look, Snake Boy, you need to start doing things how the Protector says if you want to beat these State Government pukes for the land and workers. Arminger's giving you weapons, armor, tools, seed stock, engineers and specialists of all kinds, so what gives?"

Coldly furious at the chink's nickname for him, Tony Diablo closed his hand into a fist. "The damn Army took over a bunch of farmland. We thought it was some isolated National Guard outfit at first, but it turns out a whole friggin' Brigade out of Fort Lewis is setting up shop south of Olympic Peninsula. We made a push to the coast north of the river. A whole bunch of troops, nearly a thousand of them, and armed with pikes and crossbows just as good as the Protectors, cut us off. They pushed us back east of Gray's Bay and then to Route 4, where they started to run out of steam as far as my men figure."

Liu shrugged. "If you can't get your house in order, the Protector is going to have to step in. First though, I think you're eligible for some support; feudal obligation goes both ways and all."

Tony chuckled. "Look, Mr. Protector's Ambassador, you don't get it. This isn't some pipsqueak town of muck ramrodded by some middle-aged Sherriff. We're talking about the Government and the Army. This is different."

The Chinese-American gangster pointed his finger at Diablo and spoke firmly. "Either way, _Baron_ Diablo, the Lord Protector's strategy is to knock over all the old guys trying to keep things going the using the old ways. Get your men together and be ready for a campaign next month. The Protectorate has some other troublemakers to take care of south of Portland, but we can spare enough troops to push over what's left of the Army."

Eddie Liu stopped off at Baron Diablo's 'comfort station' before returning to Portland. The local whores out here in the boonies seemed a little chunkier, but maybe he was just imagining things. 


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_April 1998 (Change + 1 Month)_

An Act by the Government of Washington State in Response to the Change  
(Change Response Act)

I. By the authority of the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in provisional quorum assembled, the Governor is hereby empowered to take any and all measures, as he shall judge necessary and proper, for the preservation of the public welfare.

A. In the absence of contact with the Federal Government, Department of Defense, or indeed any higher echelon of civilian or military authority, the State of Washington shall be, by necessity, empowered to conduct matters of defense and diplomacy as would normally be left to the aforesaid Federal Government. Pending due confirmation from such higher authorities, all actions taken by Washington State shall have the full force and power as any action taken by the Congress and President of the United States, assuming Federal Authority in Trust. (Federal Trust Clause)

B. The State of Washington shall, as may be realistic in light of how events develop, endeavor to contact other surviving executive authorities of the United States. Should a legitimate successor to the Office of the President of the United States emerge, the State Legislature shall be required to hold a floor vote within 90 days as to whether such a successor will be recognized by the State as the Federal Government. Should a local authority, whether of the State of Washington or any other of the 50 States, emerge, the Governor shall be empowered to recognize that authority as provisionally subordinate to the State. The State Legislature shall be required to hold a floor vote within 90 days to whether such recognition will become part of Washington State Code.

C. Recognizing the unlikihood of any such other legitimate executive authority, whether Federal, State, or Local, the Governor, with the advice and consent of the State Senate, shall be empowered to conduct treaties as a de facto representative of the President, en loco POTUS. The Governor is encouraged to reestablish the Union if at all possible. The preservation of civilization, however, is deemed by the State Legislature to be a higher calling. (Civilization Preservation Clause)

II. The State of Washington shall administer any and all military, law enforcement, and emergency response personnel and units with full Acting Federal Force and Power.

A. The 2nd Brigade, 2nd Mechanized Infantry Division, I Corps, United States Army, is hereby seconded to the authority of the Governor as Commander in Chief of the Army and Coast Guard of the State of Washington. The said Brigade is hereby reorganized per the suggestion of Major General Anthony Hopkins, Commanding Officer thereof, with a fully authorized strength of 6,000 men. Additional military personnel, whether Federal, State National Guard, or volunteers, may be assigned at the discretion of the 2nd Brigade Commanding Officer.

2nd Brigade

- 1st Battalion (Elma)

- 2nd Battalion (Aberdeen)

- 4th Battalion (Raymond)

- Artillery Battalion (Aberdeen)

- Support Battalion (Aberdeen)

B. Any actions taken in response to the Change by any member of the Armed Forces of the State of Washington under order from legitimate higher authority, even if said authority is presently unavailable, shall be wholly recognized as legitimate in kind. Neither the State Government nor the Military, and their agents, shall be held accountable for the heartbreaking human tragedies subsequent to the 17th of March 1998. (Immunity and Governor's Pardon Clause)

III. The State of Washington shall not recognize the authority of any unlawful political entity, especially any such entity which fails to recognize the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Washington, or their laws.

A. The Governor shall be empowered to Suppress Insurrections against lawful State Authority, by lethal force if necessary.

IV. The State of Washington shall enact such public works and projects as the Governor may judge expedient in furtherance of the public adaptation to the Change.

A. Agricultural Development

B. Modern Arms Development

C. Post Roads and Signaling Systems

D. Public Health Measures

V. The State of Washington shall hold normal elections on Election Day in the year 2000, approximately two and one half years subsequent to the Change. The Governor is empowered, directed, and required to make such preparations as may be necessary. The State shall conduct a census of all territory under its control 6 months prior to the election to determine representation in the Legislature…

_2__nd__ Brigade Headquarters (former US Post Office near City Hall), Aberdeen, WA_

Major General Hopkins chuckled, scratching at a layer or dirt-caked stubble on the edge of his square jaw. His normally blonde hair was equally dirty; he would have to see about a proper wash soon, if he found the time. He would find the time, though, whatever it took, failing to maintain proper sanitation being a court-martial offense. "So half a dozen senior legislators and twice again as many more constitute a 'provisional quorum' now? I thought the whole point of a quorum was that it couldn't be provisional."

Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Watson, visiting from Elma to participate in contingency planning for an obviously coming conflict with the Red Snakes, guffawed, his Texas drawl showing through. "Come on now General, let's be realistic here. We both know the point isn't the follow the letter of the law but the spirit. If I remember by PoliSci professor back at West Point correctly, he once said something about that. Democracy is in the ideas, not the fine print. All the laws and motions and what have you don't do any good if the executive doesn't give a damn."

Setting the typewritten sheet down on a mahogany table, scavenged from the home of an older gentleman who no longer had any use of it, Hopkins shrugged. "That must be why the rump legislature put that bit in about the 2000 election. You're right, though, about the fine print thing. It won't do any good if we turn into a bunch of fascists. Which, Lieutenant Colonel, I absolutely will not tolerate, and neither will the Governor."

"Anyway, how far have our scouts gotten to now?"

Watson stepped back to let the Brigade Staff do their thing. "Sir, our effective areas of control and heavy population… that is to say remaining population… include Capitol State Forest and everything west of it, going all the way up Olympic Peninsula. We have small sailing cutters surveying the coastline up there and helping to position Model Villages in the better farmland. To the south, we've claimed… restored the State's claim, rather… all the land north of the Columbia, extending east to just about the wildlife refuge across from Route 30 in Oregon. From there our control extends due north to Route 6, and the diagonally northeast up to the State Forest again. The I-5 corridor beyond that belongs to the Red Snakes, and we've been getting even more reports of this Portland Protective Association putting feelers out to the south of the Columbia."

"Population?"

"All told, somewhere between sixty and seventy-five thousand, but the figure is still fluctuating. If the I-5 corridor is roughly the same as what we already have, were we to reestablish control of the lands north of an east-west Longview-Mount St. Helens line, that number could get up close to one hundred thousand."

"What about the survey of Vancouver Island?"

"The Coast Guard boats we got up there hightailed it after looking at Victoria from a distance; the place is still a charnel house. We probably won't be able to move in until next year anyway, what with ongoing planting operations taking place in the State territory we already have."

***

Stepping out into the light drizzle, Hopkins gazed up at the sun winking through a gap in the clouds. _At least that big old fusion reaction is still working, or we'd be really fucked._ A pair of horsemen clopped down the street, the iron horseshoes clanging loudly on the asphalt. Hopkins returned their salutes, noting with amusement that one of the men momentarily lost his balance as his arm jerked up. _Our 'cavalry' definitely needs some more training._

After ten minutes of damp peace, Hopkins stepped into what had, a month ago, been a seedy sports bar. Now, the place looked more like some lunatic's impression of an Old West saloon crossed with a medieval tavern. Further complicating any efforts at classification, improvised gasoline lamps lit the place. "You have any beer?"

The bartender smirked. "Not if you want the horse piss the owner used to serve. These days we've got only proper hand-crafted ales."

_God save us from hippies and tree huggers… except they were sort of right, kind of. Whatever._ "So you aren't the owner? Where is he then?"

"Look man. A lot of shit went down since the Change and now, you know? The damn fool took off for Tacoma to go pick up his daughter from some school field trip, and I never saw him again. As far as folks care at all, I own the joint now. Judging by business, I'd say my claim is good enough, given the emergency and all."

Hopkins grinned. "Sure. Anyway that's not my department. Give me one of those fancy ales then."

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	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_June 1998 (Change + 3 Months)_

East of Longview, WA (Barony of Longview, Portland Protective Association)****

Mike Havel, Captain 1st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop "The Bearkillers", 3rd Brigade United States Army, grimaced at the sight of slave labor teams in the distance. _Someone's been a busy little bee all right._ A pair of earthwork and timber forts were going up ridiculously quickly. The Outfit had signed up with the Army's 3rd Brigade, on exercises near Yakima when the Change hit, and was currently on a long-range survey mission to the west of the Cascade Range. Captain Havel and his XO, 1st Lieutenant Will Hutton, had been hearing more news of a mysterious 'Lord Protector' the closer they got to the environs of Portland.

Havel didn't see how it was possible. _Portland should have… died. It should be gone._ Theoretically, he supposed, someone could have taken over most of the food supplies, kicked most of the people out, and then hunkered down for the first month or so, but… _Forget it. Some dude's set himself up as a princeling in the ruins of the city, and we have to find out what the situation is so the General can decide what to do._

***

Northwest of Longview, WA

Major General Anthony Hopkins turned in his saddle to take a look at the assembled field army. 3,000 men, all of them pre-Change US Army soldiers, were marching down Route 4 to the headquarters of the Red Snake gangsters. Almost all of 4th and 2nd Battalions' strength was being committed to the southern part of the operation. 1,000 men from 1st Battalion would be departing Elma in the north to march on Centralia simultaneously. Intel said 'Baron Diablo' had only 2,000 fighting men at best, and most of those were still focused on holding down the farmers stuck in their territory.

A cavalry scout rode up to Hopkins, reporting that the enemy was massing in their path. The field commander of Washington's military rose his eyebrow in confusion. _This Baron must be too overconfident to risk a field fight rather than use his fortifications as cover._ "Deploy the column into line of battle. Crossbowmen in company blocks to the front with the pikemen and swordsmen behind."

***

Havel looked through his pre-change binoculars with interest. From what he could tell, a large force was massing to assault a much smaller one along Route 4. It would be a cakewalk, if the clear discipline of the first force was anything to go by. Except… _There's a third force crossing the Lewis and Clark bridge, and a big one to boot. I don't think this is any concern of ours, though. Wait. _ Havel looked through his binoculars once more. That was a US Flag among the first force, but that still didn't mean much, until he saw the ensign for the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division. _They made it out of the urban zone? How?!_ Shaking his head to clear it, Havel waved Will Hutton over.

"Yeah boss?" The horse wrangler from Texas rose his eyebrows in surpise at his CO's suggestion. "That's a mighty… bold move there Mike. You sure about it?"

***

Grand Baron Eddie Liu looked through his own binoculars with satisfaction. _We should be able to reinforce the Red Snakes before they break, but it'll be close. _Liu watched as the Army troops closed to arrow range at a perfect march. _Definitely better put together than even the Protector's Guard. This isn't good._ The first rank of crossbowmen loosed as one before kneeling. The second rank loosed and knelt. Then the third volley came. Even hundreds of yards away Eddie could hear faint screams as men were skewered by cold steel bolt tips.

The Red Snakes tried to rally, but before they could dress their lines again a solid wall of pikemen smashed into them. Eddie had orders to support the Baron of Longview, but that simply wasn't possible, not now. With luck some of the Baron's men would be able to withdraw across the bridge; Liu could at least hold that.

***

"_Hakka Palle!_ Captain Havel led the Troop's A-List into the already disordered Red Snakes trying to retreat. With barely a moment's hesitation, the commander of the first force, apparently part of the Army's 2nd Brigade, opened his own infantry lines up, allowing a cavalry pursuit unit through. The battle was over.

Havel trotted up to his opposite number, nodding in response to the wave of thanks. "Captain Havel, leading a recon unit from 3rd Brigade up at Yakima, at your service."

Major General Hopkins couldn't help but let his eyes go wide in shock. Abandoning all pretense of military discipline, he instantly asked the one question on his mind. "General Robert Andrews made it? He secured the Yakima region?"

Havel nodded. "Yes sir. Are you by any chance Brigadier General Anthony Hopkins?"

"Yes, but I have my second start now, by order of the Governor of the State of Washington. What remnant of pre-change government is the 3rd Brigade serving under?"

Havel hesitated. "That's kind of complicated, sir. At first the Mayor of Yakima was running things, but he sort of… stepped down. I don't think he got along with General Andrews or vice versa. Everything east of the Cascades, down south close to the state border, up north into the national forests, and east into the outskirts of the Spokane clusterfuck, is now under martial law, protected by the 3rd Brigade. Initially, so I was told, Andrews wanted to get some of the government out of Seattle, but his scouts never made it back. So who's acting State Governor now, anyway?"

The ranking officer of Washington State's army smiled. "The original one. Governor Locke. He is going to be very eager to receive a delegation from Andrews's command staff. If Bob really does have all that land, the State could already have most of its pre-Change territory."

"Not only that, sir, but our scouting missions south into Oregon say the local ranchers are already starting to organize themselves. They got a bunch of refugees out of Bend set up on the farmland and everything. How many folks does the State still have alive here west of the mountains?"

Havel was floored. _100,000 is their 'rough estimate' including what is being liberated from the gangsters? We've got almost that many out east ourselves. _

***

_July 1998 (Change + 4 Months)_

Central Library, Portland, OR (Portland Protective Association)

Norman Arminger was furious. Now that the die-off was just about over, his forces were moving out to the coast in the west and the mountains in the east, and had gotten as far south as Salem along the I-5. The damned university faculty senate in Corvallis seemed to have gotten their area under quite respectable control already, at least west of the highway. East of there… it was completely ridiculous. A band of lunatics acting like Celtic barbarians was pushing east to the mountains themselves.

The Lord Protector's forces had had a number of skirmishes with the 'Mackenzies' already, with mixed results. If his northern flank was secure; i.e. a death zone, Arminger was confident he would be able to build up over the fall and winter before crushing the upstarts to his south. As things were, however, it looked like his dreams of military conquest would have to be put on hold until he knew more.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_March 1999 (Change Year 1)_

Government House, Olympia __

Washington Coast Guard Ship _Endeavor_ tied up at the docks on Budd Inlet, allowing a party of dignitaries from the University Committee of Corvallis to disembark. An Army band struck up the national anthem, which gave pause to the Corvallan representatives. In the year since the Change, it had been largely assumed that they alone were the last outpost of civilization west of the Cascade range. Even the nascent post-change nation centered around Eureka in northern California was more a loose collection of smaller settlements than anything else.

As the party proceeded into a conference room, it became even more apparent that Portland had a serious rival. A delegation of ranchers from Bend, Oregon was seated at the table, with 'State of Oregon' written out on placards in front of them. Similar place settings were laid out with the names 'Commonwealth of Corvallis' and 'State of California'. At the latter, the Corvallans became confused. Surely Sacramento went down months ago at the latest?

Governor Locke rose from his place at the head of the table. "Welcome, all of you. I realize your journeys, whether by sea or across the mountains, must have been long and arduous. The importance of this meeting here cannot, however, be understated. Our combined territories, showed here on this map, constitute the pre-Change territories of Washington and Oregon; excepting Portland and the Lord Protector's holdings; and a chunk of Northern California. In northern Idaho we have pushed east to the Rockies where by necessity we are halting our expansion."

The Governor hesitated. "Gentlemen, all of us are threatened by the gangsters of Portland, even California. If Corvallis and its allies in the Willamette Valley fall to Portland, the best farmland west of the Rockies will be in the hands of a power-hungry dictator. Left to fester, this sore in America's heart will only grow ever more powerful. If we could, I would push for an offensive by America's remnants against Portland next year. Realistically, however, that will not be feasible, as there is still far too much work to be done in terms of settling farmland and repairing infrastructure."

"In a few years, perhaps, we will be able to put the rapid dog down. Washington's workshops are turning out arms and armor almost as quickly as we are turning our farm tools, and we aren't that far behind Portland if our intelligence is to be believed. Currently, Portland's population and by extension military forces are more concentrated than ours, and thus has local superiority west of the Cascades. Countering this, however, they have a huge popular resentment problem. Our cavalry patrols and probes into Portland's territory are constantly pulling out refugees, which we are of course settling on their own family plots of land, for example."

"The bulk of our forces are stationed east of the cascades helping to maintain order and generally assisting in reconstruction and agricultural efforts. We had initially hoped to be able to ship bulk grain from this fall's harvest out east to help them out, but frankly the logistics simply aren't possible for that anymore, even with properly maintained rail and road lines. We are establishing small outposts on Vancouver island, but any net gain will be years in the making; repopulating the place, like everywhere else, is going to take time."

"That brings us back to the problem of Portland. Washington State is maintaining substantial defenses along the Columbia River, mirroring Portland's own castellation program. In the medium term, this ultimately works out to the Lord Protector's advantage, as he can place small garrisons in the north to hold back even a much larger offensive by Washington forces. Our best guess is that, were hostilities to break out, Portland will seek to hold its northern flank with secondary forces, allowing its shock troops to drive further into the Willamette."

"The commander of Washington's military, Lieutenant General Hopkins, feels that we would be able to put enough pressure on Portland to prevent them from throwing as many troops south as they would like. With Oregon's light cavalry columns pushed over the cascades to reinforce Corvallis and the other free communities in the Willamette, we believe with relatively high certainty that any strategic offensive by Portland would soon bog down."

Corvallis' senior representative shrugged. "So it's a stalemate then. Neither side can break the other's castellation quickly, which means any war, whatever the outcome, would be bloody for both sides. The University Committee is of the view that all of us, Washington, the CORA, and the Willamette Communities, should pursue a rigorous program of castellation with the aim to keep Portland contained. Given time, it might be possible to induce them to reform their policies…"

Governor Locke interrupted. "That, my friend, is precisely what Armiger doubtless wants us to do. Freedom's biggest enemy is not the evil per se, but rather complacency. Furthermore, Portland represents illegally occupied territory of the United States by a hostile power. Once the State of Washington has sufficiently recovered from the Change, we _will_ be making a grand assault on the gangsters, have no doubt. Over the next few years, State forces east of the mountains will gradually be withdrawn to the west. Combined with our expected buildup, we expect to have 15,000 men ready to drive into Portland in five to ten years' time."

"Washington would be immensely grateful for any assistance the other free powers can provide in liberating occupied American territory." At a snort from the Corvallan senior representative, presumably at Locke's emphasis of 'American', the Governor continued. "Subsequent to the liberation of such territory, the State Legislature has ruled that Washington will recognize the results of a universal plebiscite to take place north of the border with California and south of the Columbia. The people of the Willamette may elect to join the State of Oregon, the State of Washington, the State of California, or become an independent State with its capital at Corvallis."

Predictably, the University Committee member displayed renewed interest. "You would publically declare that the result of such a vote would be recognized?"

Governor Locke grinned. "Of course. It doesn't matter which state you join or found, so long as loyalty to the United States is maintained."

"Ahhh. Let me guess. The capital of the USA would be at Olympia, making us an extension of Washington in all but name?"

"Not at all. The State Legislature thinks it would be far more sensible to put the capital at Portland. It's more centrally located after all."

***

_June 1999 (Change Year 1)_

Dun Juniper, east of I-5, Willamette Valley.

"Corvallis said what? We're all part of America again?" Juniper Mackenzie rolled her eyes.

Sam Aylward the Englishman. "I'm afraid so. It seems the Washington State Government, and by all accounts it actually is the proper one, up in Olympia is determined to put Arminger down."

"But don't they realize that by publically declaring that it just makes a war all but inevitable at some point? Why not settle for everyone recognizing everyone else's borders indefinitely?"

Aylward winked. "That there, Juney, is the rub. Washington has no intention of allowing the status quo to remain any longer than it must. A cynic might even go as far as to say Washington wants to provoke an open war to legitimize whatever follows. Which, presumably, would include the absorption of Portland's lands into its own sphere."

"They why publically declare that this election they are proposing would be recognized regardless of the result?" Juniper shook her head, reaching for a mug of Brannigan's ale.

"What I think we need to get used to, Juney, is that establishing a new United States headquartered in Portland would be nearly the same thing as Washington itself taking over everything regardless. They are already the single largest power, even more so than Portland in some respects. Calling the post-war settlement the reestablishment of the United States is really just a concession to nominal State sovereignty. Whether Portland is absorbed by Olympia, Bend, or Corvallis, the end result is the same."

"So why not throw our hands up and say Portland is none of our concern unless we are attacked?"

"Because, Juney, Washington is playing for keeps, for the next generation, rather than the next few years, and I think we'd best realize they are deadly serious. Judging by that Captain Havel fellow who popped by through the CORA by way of saying hello, the State Government and the Army remnant have things quite well in hand."

Juniper scowled. "Havel is a Class-A jerk, strutting about proclaiming every needs to work together to restore Old Glory. 'Survey Mission' indeed. More like sowing the seeds of conquest."

"Be that as it may, the man does earn our respect, however grudging. That business with bear alone would imply he won't go down easily, and if he is representative of the whole, then neither will Washington State." Reaching for a stave of yew, Aylward returned to his work on fashioning another longbow.

__

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